Mr. Robert Neil “Bob” Dobbs, 87, passed away peacefully at his home in Onancock on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. Born on June 23, 1937, in Plainfield, N.J., and raised in Miami, Bob was the beloved son of the late Robert Pierson Dobbs and the late Margaret Elizabeth Kennedy Dobbs.
Bob graduated from North Miami Senior High School in 1955 and later attended the University of Miami. He served in the U.S. Air Force, which marked the beginning of his distinguished career in aviation.
He worked for Barfield Aviation until 1966, after which he became a pilot for Eastern Airlines, for which he flew a variety of aircraft, including the Lockheed Electra, Douglas DC-9, Boeing 727, and Lockheed L-1011. He upgraded to captain in 1982. Following the closing of Eastern Airlines in 1991, Bob joined Kiwi Airlines as a founding member and captain. He retired from the cockpit of a Boeing 727 in 1997.
In 1971, Bob founded Capital Aviation Instrument Corporation, which he successfully owned and operated until selling it to Colgan Airlines in 2005. Bob was the humble recipient of many prestigious awards and recognitions throughout his career but was most proud of his Eagle Scout honor from the Boy Scouts of America and the Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” Award from the FAA, recognizing his 50 years of dedication to aviation. Bob’s life was one of adventure, dedication, and love. He leaves behind a legacy that will be cherished by all who knew him.
He was predeceased by his wife, Ute Roswitha Dobbs, who passed in 2023, and his grandson, Allen “A.J.” Jorsey III.
Bob is survived by his sister, Shirley, and his children, Elizabeth Ann Jorsey and her husband, Allen, Robert Patrick Dobbs, and Deborah Lynn Richards and her husband, Coy.
The Dobbs family would like to extend their gratitude to Bob and Ute’s amazing caregivers, all of whom showed genuine compassion and brought them great joy over the last several years.
A service to celebrate Bob and Ute’s lives will be held at the Williams-Onancock Funeral Home on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m.
Memory tributes may be shared with the family at
www.williamsfuneralhomes.com
Arrangements are by the Williams-Onancock Funeral Home.